diff --git a/pic-sure-auth-services/src/main/java/edu/harvard/hms/dbmi/avillach/auth/service/auth/OktaOAuthAuthenticationService.java b/pic-sure-auth-services/src/main/java/edu/harvard/hms/dbmi/avillach/auth/service/auth/OktaOAuthAuthenticationService.java
index 4ce107c7f..657f9d5ba 100644
--- a/pic-sure-auth-services/src/main/java/edu/harvard/hms/dbmi/avillach/auth/service/auth/OktaOAuthAuthenticationService.java
+++ b/pic-sure-auth-services/src/main/java/edu/harvard/hms/dbmi/avillach/auth/service/auth/OktaOAuthAuthenticationService.java
@@ -84,6 +84,10 @@ private User initializeUser(JsonNode introspectResponse) {
         }
 
         User user = loadUser(introspectResponse);
+        if (user == null) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
         clearCache(user);
         return user;
     }